Logical Reasoning

PT113 · S3 · Q12 Some biologists believe that the

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Some biologists believe that the capacity for flight first developed in marine reptiles, claiming that feathers are clearly developed from scales.

Some Biologists' Conclusion

Capacity for flying first occurred in marine reptiles.

Some Biologists' Evidence

Feathers are clearly developed from scales.

Other Biologists' Conclusion

That's not a strong argument that flying first occurred in marine reptiles.

Other Biologists' Evidence

Bats (which fly) have no scales. Nonmarine reptiles also have scales.

Other People's Conclusion

Flight first developed in tree-dwelling reptiles.

Other People's Evidence

It's more likely that tree-dwelling reptiles developed wings to assist their leaps from branch to branch than it is that land-dwelling reptiles just had limbs that developed into wings.

12.

Which one of the following most accurately describes the role played in the passage by the claim that nonmarine reptiles have scales?

  1. Correct

    It is cited as evidence

    Why this is right

    The biologists in the first sentence are claiming that the capacity for flight first developed in marine reptiles. The biologists in the second sentence reject this suggestion, pointing out that X and Y. We're being asked about Y, the claim that "nonmarine reptiles also have scales". Just by looking at the keywords in the 2nd sentence we can tell that X and Y are evidence for rejecting the suggestion being made in the 1st sentence. So everything here matches up.

    Skill tested: Role · how this choice captures the argument's function is the move to repeat next time.

    86% picked this

  2. It is cited as evidence

    Wrong Role

    We can tell that the 2nd sentence is going against the claim in the 1st sentence, because the 2nd sentence says "other biologists rightly reject this suggestion". The pronoun this indicates that we're referring to whatever suggestion was just said. Meanwhile, the hypothesis that "capacity for flight first developed in land-dwelling animals" doesn't happen until the 3rd and 4th sentences.

    3% picked this

  3. It is cited as evidence

    Wrong Role

    We can tell that the 2nd sentence is going against the claim in the 1st sentence, because the 2nd sentence says "other biologists rightly reject this suggestion". The pronoun this indicates that we're referring to whatever suggestion was just said. Meanwhile, the hypothesis that "capacity for flight first developed in tree-dwelling reptiles" doesn't happen until the 3rd and 4th sentences.

    3% picked this

  4. It weakens the claim that

    Wrong Role

    The 2nd sentence is only about the rejecting the claim made in the 1st sentence. The hypothesis that "capacity for flight first developed in tree-dwelling animals" doesn't happen until the 3rd and 4th sentences.

    2% picked this

  5. It corroborates the observation that

    Wrong Role

    To corroborate something is to affirm the truth of that claim, or to say something that reinforces the plausibility of that claim. If we were trying to corroborate the observation that some mammals without scales developed the capacity to fly, we would provide evidence of flying mammals that don't have scales. However, the claim we're being asked about is that nonmarine reptiles do have scales. Talking about reptiles that do have scales is in no way affirming or supporting the idea that some mammals don't have scales.

    6% picked this

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